The BBC may axe its re-runs of classic editions of Top of the Pops on BBC4 as a result of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Vintage shows from the 1970s featuring the disgraced presenter have already been pulled from the schedule, and last week BBC4 shelved an episode presented by Dave Lee Travis after the DJ's arrest.

The BBC is currently airing editions of the chart show from 1977, but BBC4 controller Richard Klein said he had not decided whether to continue into 1978.

"It is complex and it is difficult to judge," Klein told a Broadcasting Press Guild lunch on Wednesday.

"These are judgments we are making on a case-by-case basis. It requires us to be cautious and careful without overreacting, to take into account public sensibilities and legalities, and hopefully we are going to get it right."

He added: "At the moment we actually haven't scheduled 1978, so we'll take a view. We have only done it the last two years [beginning with 1976] so if we didn't do it again it wouldn't be the end of the world and audience figures have declined quite markedly.

"It has done a good job, whether I choose to continue or not I don't yet know."

Asked whether the Savile fallout was a factor in his decision about the 1978 reruns, Klein said: "Of course it is. How else are we supposed to respond?

"We have to think about this and make a judgment and hopefully we will get it right. That's all we can do."

BBC4, which has a 1.7% share of the television audience and a weekly reach of about 10 million viewers, faces big cuts as part of former director general Mark Thompson's Delivering Quality First programme of cost-savings.

Klein gave an insight into the extent of the cuts on the channel, saying the amount of money he had to spend on-screen had fallen "about £8m to £9m" to £26m a year.

All of the channel's entertainment budget has been axed, outside of Victoria Coren quiz show Only Connect, which has been saved, along with 30% of its comedy spend and all of its history budget.

Midweek originated drama will also come to an end after its most recent commission, PG Wodehouse drama An Innocent Abroad, starring Tim Pigott-Smith and Zoe Wanamaker, the last of its type on the channel.

"That era is over, I am sad about that. We have had some great successes," said Klein, pointing to BBC4 shows such as The Road to Coronation Street and Monty Python biopic, Holy Flying Circus.

"It is a shame because it was a forum for new writing and new talent and a very particular sort of film," said Klein.

He said BBC4 had been targeted for cuts because it delivered the smallest amount of "unique reach", viewers or listeners that did not use any other BBC service.

"That was Mark Thompson's strategy, he felt reach was the thing to protect and that was the principle behind it."

Asked what he thought of the principle, Klein said: "If I disagreed with it wholly, I would leave, wouldn't I?"

He added: "I can't say I'm happy about it, what channel controller would welcome this sort of thing? It's tough to take when the channel is doing so well. But I do firmly believe there is life after cuts."

Klein said he wanted to use arts, culture and music to drive BBC4's distinctiveness. "I'm not going to pretend it's going to be easy."

The BBC4 controller said he was "deeply saddened" by George Entwistle's resignation after only just 54 days in the job. "I think it's a real shame and I felt very sorry for him."

He added: "I think morale's okay, it's been better, but it's been worse. It's as you might expect. The events of the last three or four weeks have been quite shocking for a plot of people and inevitably it takes a bit of time to work through that.

"The BBC is a very resilient organisation and people do focus far more than maybe is given credit to them on delivering good programmes."

Klein also unveiled programmes for BBC4's 2013 lineup, including US comedy acquisition Parks and Recreation.

Another BBC4 comedy for next year is Bob Servant, a TV version of the Radio 4 show featuring Brian Cox as the eponymous pompous Dundonian businessman.

BBC4 drama next year will include Hinterland, a detective series set in Aberystwyth and Young Montalbano.

The factual lineup features Pain, Pus and Poison, a three-parter presented by Dr Michael Mosley about how scientists used the world around us to conquer commons afflictions.

Michael Grade and The World's Oldest Joke traces the history of the joke, while the Storyville documentary strand will feature a film about comedian Richard Pryor.

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